Well established tourism business 1770 LARC! Tours is very proud to achieve 20 years of Eco Certification this month.
In June 2002, the family owned and operated day tour company was the first tourism business in central Queensland to be awarded Eco Certification through completion of Eco Tourism Australia’s requirements.
The subsequent years have included regular audits of the business’ practices to ensure the criteria continues to be met, and owner Neil Mergard is truly pleased to celebrate this 20 year milestone. “We’ve always had a genuine respect for the environment, in life, not just in business, and I can honestly say I know the whole LARC team value this achievement.
“When we have the pleasure of showcasing the incredible surrounds of the Town of 1770 every single day – its marine life, seabirds, mangroves, the sandbars – it really is very simple to prioritise eco, conservation and sustainability within our operations” Neil said.
The certification program of Eco Tourism Australia is divided into three levels, with 1770 LARC! Tours consistently holding the ‘Eco Tourism’ level, which is defined as “Tourism in a natural area that focuses on optimal resources use, leaves minimal impact on the environment and offers interesting ways to learn about the environment with operators that use resources wisely, contribute to conserving the environment and help local communities.”
In addition they are identified as a Green Travel Leader in recognition of the length of their commitment to these principles. (More: https://www.ecotourism.org.au/).
Coupled with the 2021 Bronze award in the Queensland Tourism Awards category of ‘Tour and Transport Operators’, this Eco Certification milestone reinforces the passion and enthusiasm in the entire 1770 LARC! Tours team.
They proudly include in the business Mission Statement ‘…bringing people back to nature through eco respect and sustainability … to create lifelong connections with our backyard through the window of the diverse Southern Great Barrier Reef region’. And they are living and proving this every day on their unique amphibious tours from the Town of 1770.
